


When the Plantars Aren't Home

by somajesticdonki



Category: Amphibia (Cartoon)
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Gen, Queerplatonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:35:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26207287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somajesticdonki/pseuds/somajesticdonki
Summary: Maddie and Ivy find a mysterious music box on the Plantar residence while the Plantars are on their trip.
Relationships: Ivy Sundew & Maddie Flour, Sprig Plantar & Ivy Sundew
Comments: 3
Kudos: 28





	1. And that's the Plantar difference!

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Blood for this chapter and probably the next, will post warnings as needed!  
> I love me some good fantasy so I had to write this!! Also shout out to my friend Finn on twitter for inspiring me to write some good Ivy and Maddie content! Also shout out to Elias for being a hardcore editor! I appreciate it lots :D  
> Anyway that's enough ranting, hope ya enjoy!

It was a calm spring evening in Wartwood, and the Plantar residence had now been empty for a whole 2 whole weeks, Maddie noted, scratching a fourteenth line into the flat stone she held in her hand. Although the Plantars had left without saying goodbye to most of the swamp, she heard rumors that the family was taking the long trip to the city of Newtopia. The local tulip farmer was there to protect the house from physical destruction, but Maddie, as the town witch, made it her job to protect it from any dark magic.

Maddie hadn’t told anyone about it but she’s been sensing a weird energy around Wartwood, particularly strongest around where the Plantars lived; the soil was rich and the vegetables were beautifully grown, but a gross stench hung in the air that no one else seemed to notice. It suffocated Maddie’s senses, making her unaware of the softer auras of the living things around her, including that of someone who was approaching her from behind at that exact moment.

“Oh, hey Maddie!”

“Ah!” Maddie jumped, growling at the girl who called her name. “Don’t sneak up on me like that, Ivy!”

Ivy chuckled, her aura much more casual than anything else around, as usual. “What’s got you so worked up? I’ve never seen you jump like that before.”

“Nothing,” Maddie decided it was no use trying to tell Ivy about something she could never sense, anyway.

“It’s been kinda empty without them, huh? I kinda almost miss them,” Ivy said jokingly, but it was very obvious she meant it. She looked up at the house with a smile on her face. It had been a few weeks since Sprig and her had become partners, and they'd spent much time together after that. 

Ivy continued speaking, but Maddie tuned it out as another wave of stench filled her nose. As it came, she noticed it coming not from the house itself, but a tree a little off to the side.

“Shut up.” Maddie interrupted her, staring the tree down as if that would give her all the answers she needed.

Ivy tried to protesr, but Maddie’s serious look silenced her. She followed Maddie’s gaze towards the tree, with a look of confusion.

Maddie took out a pouch from her pocket without looking away, and slowly approached the tree. She slipped the pouch open, sprinkling powder just ahead of her, watching as the ground it touched turned blue. Maddie was almost at the foot of the tree and the terrible smell forced an ugly cough out of her lungs.  _ This must be it _ , she thought, sprinkling more of the powder right where she stood. As it hit the ground it turned red.

“Ivy, find me a shovel,” Maddie spoke to the other frog without looking at her, afraid something might change if she looked away for even just the slightest second.

Ivy didn’t breathe a word the whole time, but did as she was told. She had learned from personal experience that magic was not something to mess with, and she trusted Maddie enough to know she was doing the right thing. Moments later she came back with a sturdy shovel and handed it to her friend.

Maddie dug into the ground, the soil fresh, as if it had been touched recently. And as the soil moved out of the way, her cough grew worse, causing her to clutch her chest and drop the shovel.

“Maddie!” Ivy grasped her by the sides and helped her stand. Though she could not sense auras like her friend did, she could tell something was wrong. "We need to get you out of-”

“Step back,” Maddie croaked and, her body almost completely slumping over, began digging the hole with her bare hands, eventually unearthing a broken music box. Lifting it out of the dirt, she quickly drew a magical seal on it, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Ivy helped her friend out of the hole and watched over her as she tried to regain herself. “What was that?” she asked once Maddie seemed to be breathing normally again.

“I don’t know, but I’ve definitely seen it before.” Maddie was sitting on the ground, dusting off the music box to get a good look at the three gray gems on the lid. “The stench it gave off was terrible.”

“I didn’t smell anything..” Ivy looked at the music box curiously. How had it affected Maddie so strongly but not her?

“I need to investigate it further,” Maddie got to her feet.

“Do you need me to help you?”

“I’m fine,” she looked over at her friend with a stern expression. “But you can’t tell anyone about what just happened, got it?”

“Yes, sir!” Ivy held her pinky out. “I promise!”

Maddie completed the promise with her pinky and sealed it with a touch of their thumbs.

* * *

It had been two weeks since the incident and Ivy hadn't seen Maddie at all during the time. She supposed she was doing typical Maddie things that she shouldn't know (and probably wouldn't want to know), but in all honesty she really needed someone to talk to. There weren't many people their age in Wartwood, and with Sprig gone she had no sparring partner. Ivy would never fight Maddie for even she knew it was much too dangerous to fight a witch. But Ivy considered that maybe, just maybe, she could learn something from her.

And so Ivy grabbed her favorite sparring stick (which had some doodles she and Sprig carved on a date once), and headed over to the local bakery, where Maddie's father worked.

"Hi Mr. Flour!" Ivy walked in, her fingers tapping on her stick. "Is Maddie around by any chance?"

"Yeah she's in her room," Mr. Flour huffed, aggressively putting the already baked bread in the oven. "She's been in there for days and won't even say hello, or how are you!"

There was smoke rising from the oven a the bread began to burn.

"Mr. Flour-"

"I bet you want to see her too, eh? She hasn't been letting anyone in, so better just be on your way out!"

"Mr. Flour your bread is burning!!" Ivy yelled over his ranting, snapping him back to the present moment.

"My bread!" He exclaimed and opened the oven, letting out a large puff of smoke.

Ivy did her best to help by opening the windows and getting a breath of fresh air.

"I'm sorry about your bread, Mr. Flour," she found herself saying, though she did not consider it to be her fault. "But can I go up and see her?"

"Do what you want kid, I have bread to bake."

Ivy wanted to stay and help, but she found talking to Maddie more important at the moment. She climbed up to the second floor where she found Maddie's room. It was easy to find it as a large "DO NOT ENTER OR BE CURSED" sign hung on the door. Ivy chuckled. She didn't believe Maddie would actually curse someone just for entering her room, but it was a good threat to keep people out.

Ivy knocked on the door. "Maddie? It's me Ivy! Wanna spar with me?"

Silence.

"We don't have to spar but maybe let's hang out?"

The sound of coughing came from a different door.

"Maddie?" Ivy called.

The door opened to show Maddie, dark blood on her shirt and shadows under her eyes.

"Maddie! What happened? Are you okay?" Ivy cried, coming over to help the hurt frog, but she moved away.

"Ivy? What are you doing here?" Maddie's voice cracked with exhaustion.

"Looking for you! You haven't been seen by anyone in two weeks, of course I was gonna worry!"

Maddie wanted to smile at the gesture but the pain in her body felt much too overwhelming.

"You don't understand, you shouldn't be here!" she breathed out.

"Then help me understand."

Maddie looked up at her and sighed. "Fine."

  
  



	2. The flour that belongs to Maddie, that flour?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maddie tells Ivy about the Calamity Box; some fluff; they make a big decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: blood (same as in the previous chapter), murder mention
> 
> I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing with the chapter titles kdhgk

The room behind the “DO NOT ENTER OR BE CURSED” sign was different from the dark creepy chamber Ivy had imagined. The walls were painted a pastel pink and lavender, and many toys lined the shelves. Nailed to the wall was a drawing of Maddie and Sprig holding hands.

Ivy would love to think about how cool it would be for the three of them to hang out, and how nice it would be to hold Sprig’s hand again, but this was not the time for daydreaming. In front of Ivy, sitting on the floor, was Maddie, blood staining her mouth and shirt. She was shakily holding the mysterious music box they had found the other day. While previously the gems on the box were gray, two of the gems were now glowing a soft blue and green, respectively.

“This stupid. Thing.” Maddie painted a magical seal on the box, the way she did the day they found it. As she did that the color of the gems faded back to gray. She sighed and just let herself fall back into a lying position.

“Maddie, you’re bleeding.” Ivy walked over to her side.

“It’s all dried, I’m fine,” she groaned and turned over to her side, away from Ivy.

“What happened?” Ivy sat next to her.

“The stupid box happened.” Maddie took a deep breath. “Look. That thing is called the Calamity Box. It inserts its power into 3 people, and once those people come together, the power is strong enough to have a physical form outside of this box. And if it creates that form… We're as good as dead.”

“Are the three people the Plantars?”

“Can’t be. Otherwise the monster would have formed a long time ago. One of them brought it and must have buried it to try to contain its power.” Maddie looked at the box and watched as the seal she put on it slowly faded. “Burying doesn’t help, and my seals don’t last long either.”

“Then we have to destroy it!” Ivy picked it up and threw it at the wall, creating a big dent in the wall, but not a scratch on the box.

“You can’t physically destroy it.” Maddie sat up and stared at the dent in the wall blankly. “It has to be done through magic, but I’ve tried all the magic I know. And every time the seal wears off the energy it holds is released again. And let’s just say… it doesn’t do me any good.”

“Okay, Mads, listen to me.” Ivy took her friend’s hand and held it tightly. “We’re gonna find a way to destroy it, but first we gotta get it away from you. You won’t be able to do anything against it if you’re in this condition.”

After being alone for 2 weeks, Maddie appreciated the physical assurance.

“But where are you gonna put it? We can’t let anyone take it.”

“I’ll take it home. It doesn’t affect me, right? So as long as it’s away from you, it’ll be okay.”

“Okay, but you gotta guard it with your life.”

“Understood!” Ivy gave her a reassuring smile, and for the first time in a long time she saw Maddie smile back at her.

* * *

For the next two days the two girls weren't able to meet to discuss the future of the old music box as Ivy was busy helping at her mom's restaurant. She was sure Maddie and her dad had some catching up to do as well.

But every time she went to her room she thought of the box, which she had hidden under her bed, and the terrifying effect it had on her friend. If it's capable of that when it's not at its full power, Ivy was scared to think of what would happen once all three gems lit up. To ensure her safety, before Ivy last left Maddie's house Maddie taught her how to draw her strongest protective seal. And every day when Ivy draws the seal on the box, she promises herself she will do whatever it takes to protect her friends.

The next morning that she wasn't slumped with work, Ivy ran straight to Maddie's house. There she found Mr. Flour and Maddie hard at work.

"Maddie's busy right now. You two girls can play later," Mr. Flour stated, and Maddie gave Ivy an apologetic look. It seemed there was no way of convincing him to let her go right now.

"Can I help? It'll make the work go by faster!"

"Do you know how to bake bread?"

"I know how to make scones, it can't be too different, right?"

A loud gasp escaped Mr. Flour's mouth. He shook his head. "Little girl…"

Maddie jumped in before her dad could go off on a rant about the art of baking bread.

"I can teach her!"

He gave Maddie a stern look.

"Alright, but she's your responsibility."

"I'll do my best!" Ivy was determined to prove herself to Maddie's dad, especially after leaving him alone with burnt bread last time.

Maddie smiled at her and Ivy could feel herself return a big, crooked smile. There was something about Maddie's smile that just made her feel very, very happy.

And so Maddie walked her through the steps of kneading dough, to which Ivy responded by saying that she feels like a kill-a-pillar.

"Just don't grow up and eat me," Maddie laughed.

"I make no promises."

Maddie narrowed her eyes at her friend. Oh how tempted she was to do something, but she knew her father wouldn't approve.

In that moment a hooded figure walked into the shop.

"Brother!" They called towards Mr. Flour. Maddie knew very well that her father had no siblings.

"Antsy? Is that you?" Mr. Flour laughed and came up to his friend. "It's been so long, how've you been?"

"Oh it's a long story!"

"Long enough to share over some tea?" He turned to his daughter. "Maddie, why don't you watch over the shop? I'll be back by mid-day!"

"No problem, dad!"

Perfect. Now that the two were alone, she didn't have to care what her father thought. And so she went with her impulses and threw some flour in Ivy's face.

Ivy coughed. "Hey, what was that for?!"

"Threatening to eat me!"

"It was your idea in the first place!"

Maddie shrugged innocently. Ivy took the chance for revenge and tossed some flour in Maddie's face.

"Hey!"

Ivy shrugged and stuck out her tongue.

Maddie grabbed the whole bag of flour.

"Oh crap-" Ivy understood the threat and ran as quickly as she could away from her.

"Come back here!"

"Not while you're holding that!!"

Maddie came at her, but she jumped over the counter and hid behind it.

"I'm coming, Ivy! You can't hide from me forever!"

But as Maddie approached the counter Ivy was ready. She tackled the other girl, knocking the bag of flour out of her hand. It spilled everywhere and the strong cloud of dust that came with it sent them coughing.

Ivy let Maddie go and they were both just lying on the floor, covered in flour and laughing.

At that moment it seemed like everything was okay. Like there was no imminent threat waiting for them in Ivy's bedroom. And they both wished that moment could last forever.

* * *

After a long morning of baking bread and cleaning the shop, the two girls were sitting in Maddie's room and snacking on bread rolls.

"These are really good," Ivy said with her mouth full, unable to stop herself from stuffing it with more bread. "Thanks for teaching me, Mads!"

Maddie nodded, her thoughts now drifting to the music box. She had searched every book she owned on magical objects, and all she found was how to activate the box, but never anything about its weaknesses. Well, there is one solution Maddie could think of, but…

"Ivy," Maddie began, solemnly. "Do you think if we destroy the three sources of the gems' power… then the box will be useless forever?"

"You don't mean killing, do you?"

"Yeah."

"Maddie, we can't just go around killing others. We don't even know who the people are."

"But the Plantars probably do." Maddie looked Ivy in the eye, and for the first time Ivy felt really intimidated by her.

"What makes you think that? That box could have been there for generations! The last person to have seen it could be dead!"

Maddie shook her head. "The soil was fresh. The grass hadn't grown over it yet. It was definitely recent."

Ivy thought about it for a moment. Was destroying 3 lives okay in order to save all of Amphibia?

"Okay," she finally spoke. "I'm in."

"What?"

"We're going to follow the Plantars to Newtopia, right?"

Maddie laughed. "You're willing to leave everything you know behind, just like that? It takes a lot to survive out there, you know."

"I'm willing to do it."

"You sure?"

"If it means you won't have to suffer because of that stupid box anymore? Definitely."

Maddie chuckled. "Alright then. Pack your bags! We'll be leaving in the morning."


	3. My Precious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maddie and Ivy leave Wartwood and are followed by a babie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: implied death?
> 
> this one was sitting in my drafts for a while so i'm just gonna dump it out here. i'm not good at editing but i'm hoping over time the quality of the writing will improve;;

Ivy wasn't quite sure how to tell her mom she was leaving on this long and dangerous trip. She would have to take the family snail too, and she had to gather all her courage to dare facing her mom.

And so she left a note, slipped it right under her mom's bedroom door, and quietly headed out. Her backpack was full of food and a couple of medicinal solutions, just in case. So with her backpack and sword, she took the snail and drove it to Maddie's house.

"Finally you're here," Maddie smiled at her driver, climbing up into the carriage behind her. "Hey, cool sword!"

"Thanks! I got Loggle to make it for me. Only cost me some of my mom's scones," she chuckled. "He's got a weakness for those."

"It's cool of your mom to let you use her scones!"

"Nah, I snuck them out," Ivy laughed.

"Did you get in trouble after?"

"Yeeeep."

They both chuckled. For a moment they felt lighthearted, but that feeling was quickly followed by a moment of silence as both girls contemplated what they were about to do. They've spent their entire lives in Wartwood, and neither of them was confident they'd be able to to come back. So they sat there, observing as nothing moved except the shadows of the trees and the sun on the horizon.

Finally Maddie broke the silence.

"Let's leave before anyone sees us."

"Yeah."

And so they did.

And as they did, they felt as if all of Wartwood's eyes were on them, when, in fact, only one pair was. But the girls obliviously carried on their journey through the forested swamp, all their thoughts on the calamity box inside Ivy's bag.

They were barely past the line between the town and the forest when Maddie sensed its presence in the bag.

"You brought the calamity box with you?!" she slurred through gritted teeth, her hands holding the edge of the seat tightly.

"Of course, no one else can watch over it, and we need to destroy it as soon as we find out how, right?"

"I guess you're right…"

Maddie felt her body crushing in on itself with the box so close to her, so to at least ease her pain she pulled out a brush and ink from her bag and, with quick strokes, placed a seal on the box. She hid it back in the bag with the hope that it will keep it safe from any possible onlookers.

The possible onlooker had been hiding in the shadows of the trees. They were an expert in hiding their presence so well that even a witch like Maddie could not sense them. They stared up at them, their eyes reflecting as little light as the gems they hungered for. If only they could hold the gems in their hands! If only they could see them shine!

That did it for the little frog. They would jump on the carriage and sneak the bag away! And before anyone notices, they will be, poof! Gone! It was a good plan!

And so as the little frog jumped out from behind the trees onto the forest road, the leaves above them rustled. Oh no, they thought, scrambling to get back into hiding, only to be noticed by the frog sitting on the carriage.

"Hey, what do you want? Go back home!" Maddie, shooed the little one away.

The little one shook their head frantically. They couldn't go home. Not without the gems.

Maddie narrowed her eyes as she took note of the little frog's appearance. They were wearing multiple necklaces made of pearls, an emerald ring, and a sapphire tiara.

"What's going on?" Ivy turned to look at the situation. "Wait isn't that my mom's necklace?"

The little frog spun around and dashed off.

"Wait!"

They froze.

"What's your name?" Ivy asked, kindly.

"E… Emmy!!" they squeaked.

"Aw, that's a cute name!" Ivy smiled at them. "Where is your home?"

They shook their head.

"You don't know?" Maddie questioned, hardly believing the child got lost by accident.

"Is gone.."

Maddie and Ivy gave each other a concerned look.

“Do you have any parents?” Ivy asked carefully.

Another shake of the head. “No, gone.”

“Siblings?”

“Gone!” they yelled, breaking into tears.

That hit Ivy hard. She sure did remember losing her dad, and she was around the little frog’s age when it happened, too. She hopped off of the carriage and came towards the child.

They looked at her, the tears in their eyes reflecting light like the gems around their neck.

“Would you like a hug?” They nodded shyly and Ivy didn’t wait a second to give them the warmest, tightest hug she could muster.

They didn’t cry. Neither of them did. They hugged in silence and relaxed into a hug they both needed. And Maddie looked at them as if she needed one too, as if she longed to join, but something told her she shouldn’t.

After a good minute Ivy looked at the child in her arms. “Do you have any place to go?”

Emmy looked down. “No...”

“Then I know just the place for you.” She climbed back up onto the carriage and reached into her bag to pull out a piece of paper and charcoal. She scribbled a name and address on it.

“Here,” she hopped off, handing it to the little frog, and pointed to the direction they came from. “Wartwood is not far that way. Look for Felicia Sundew. She’ll be happy to help you.”

A slight nod. “Thank you…”

“Of course, Emmy.” Ivy fixed the tiara on their head and waved them goodbye. When she jumped back on the carriage Maddie gave her a look.

“What are you doing, they’re obviously a thief!”

“They’re a kid who’s been through a lot, of course they’d end up a thief!”

“Oh so to take care of themself they stole jewelry?”

“Maddie, do you have to judge everyone by your first impression?”

“I-” Maddie cut herself off and sighed. “You’re right. There’s just a lot going on right now, okay? We can’t let our guard down.”

“Yeah… You’re right too.”

At that moment Maddie felt a movement next to her arm, as if the bag was being pulled away. She had to do a double take when she saw Emmy pulling her bag out from under her arm.

“Hey!” Maddie reached for the bag but Emmy bounced away to the back of the carriage. “I told you they were a thief!”

But Emmy did not try to run away. They pulled out the box and they sat in the back seat admiring it.

“Hey, that’s not a toy!” Maddie pulled it back out of their hands. They stared at her, their eyes as grey as the gems of the box she held.

Ivy turned around to see what’s happening behind her. “Huh. Looks like we have another passenger.”


End file.
